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Monday, September 05, 2011

Terriers “go large” again

BU has added another forward with size and skill to its 2013 recruit class, receiving a verbal commitment from 6’4”, 215, right-shot wing Kevin Duane. The New Canaan, CT, native was the top goal-scorer and second in points (15-18-33) at The Brunswick School as a sophomore. He'll accelerate and graduate from Brunswick next season, then play a year of junior with the Des Moines Bucs who drafted him this past Spring.

Duane went to the Bucs' main camp this past summer, earning a spot on the USHL club roster, but elected to return to prep school for another season. He also was drafted by the Quebec Remparts in the 9th round of the QMJHL draft this past spring.

According to U.S.Hockey Report:” [Duane’s] strong suits are his size – he’s tough to clear out in front of the net – along with his hands. He has a nice shot and sees the ice well. The main aspect of his game that needs work is his skating.” [Ed.—That skill set and the area for improvement recalls former BU standouts Mike Grier and Mike Pandolfo.]

Duane played Midget hockey with the Mid-Fairfield Blue and has been a member of the Junior Bruins organization, where he was a teammate of recent BU commit Sam Kurker on the Little Bruins and 2013 recruit Matt Grzelcyk on the Junior Bruins.

Duane also had offers from Vermont, Union, Providence, Merrimack, and Cornell.

Assuming that Kurker also will play a year of junior hockey, the Terriers' 2013 class now includes five forwards—Duane, Kurker, Malden Catholic’s Brendan Collier, St. Sebastian’s Danny O’Regan and Rob Baillargeon, now with the Indiana Ice—along with one defenseman, Grzelczyk who is in his second season with the US NTDP.

►Eagle Tribune hockey writer Mike McMahon is in the midst of previewing Hockey East teams in his Warrior Rink Ratblog. Starting from the bottom, he has profile three teams thus far with more to be added this week.

Looking back

Sunday's Boston Globe Hockey Notes columnexamined former BU captain Jay Pandolfo's efforts to prolong his NHL career that includes two Stanley Cups won with the New Jersey Devils. Pandolfo has also been supporting College Hockey Inc.'s efforts to promote the value of a college education to young players. He spoke to some 70 of New England's top 1996-born players at a CHI clinic in Marlborough, Mass., last month.

With six D1 offers, it would appear multiple talent evaluators were confident his skating can be improved. He'll have at least two years to work on it before BU where Mike Boyle has had much success enhancing skating skills.